Needle bearing spring end mounting means



June 2, 1936. H. A. TAPLIN NEEDLE BEARING SPRING END MOUNTING MEANS Filed Sept. 24, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' r 1 a 5 amp. Tm R fl flu o M 6 M 3 a? "m M fl 9 22 w 5 2 g 7 O a w 2+ ll 9 m 2 a My W a r -5 f IE1 IE1 Tia-E Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NEEDLE BEARING MOUNTING srnnva arm MEANS v This invention, like that disclosed in my U. S. application Serial No. 26,832, filed June 15 1935, relates to a novel pivotal mounting means for the ends of vehicle springs, and it aims to provide a new and improved construction embodying the highly advantageous needle bearings.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a construction having great strength and resistance to side thrusts, yet simple, light and inexpensive.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reierence to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view partly in elevation, illustrating one form of heavy duty construction.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view'on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the link which connects the pivot arms of the c-shaped shackle in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a different construction.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view partly in elevation showing a construction which includes no connecting link between the pivot arms of the O- shaped shackle. I

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing a di!- ferent manner in which the outer ends of the bushings of Fig. 5 may be closed. 1

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but illustrating a different construction,

Fig.8 is a detail sectional view showing a difterent way for closing the outer ends of the bushings shown in Fig. '7.

. The construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and a will first be described. In these views, Iii denotes i -a C-shaped shackle having parallel pivot arms Ii, threaded enlargements l2 at the inner ends otsaid pivot arms, and studs I3 projecting from the outer ends of said pivzot arms, the outer end portions of said studs being externally threaded.

The ,outer ends of the arms ll, adjacent their points of juncture with the studs iii, are provided with screw threads 14. Eye-engaging bushings l5 surround the pivot arms II in spaced concentric relation therewith, the inner ends of these bushing sleeves being internally threaded at 16 and engaged with the threaded enlargements l2. The outer ends of the bushingv sleeves 15 are con-" tracted at l1 and threaded upon the screw threads it. The spaces between the bushing sleeves i5 and the pivot arms ii are thus closed against 29 abutting the 8 Claims. (01. 267-54) entrance of water and grit and againstescape of grease, insin'ing effective lubrication for the needle bearings i8 which are disposed in said spaces.

The bushing sleeves ii are provided with coarse d external screw threads 19 to be threaded into the usual eyes 20 engaged by said sleeves, and to iacilitate the operation of threading the bushin sleeves into the eyes,-- said sleeves are preferably provided with wrench-engaging heads 2|.

A connecting link 22 is provided for the pivot arms ll, said link having openings 23 receiving the unthreadedinner portions of the studs l3. Nuts ,preferably having lock washers 25,,are threaded on the outer ends of these studs to hold the link 22 in place.

Conventional lubricating nipples 26 may be provided on the outer ends of the studs l3, communicating with suitable ports 21 for conducting the lubricant to the needle bearings l8.

In Fig. 4, the shackle I0 is identical with the shacklel0, its pivot arms H being provided at their inner ends with threaded enlargements l2, being threaded at their outer ends as, denoted at it, and being provided with studs i3 connected by a link 22. The change is in the bushing sleeves i5. These sleeves merely slip into their receiving eyes 20 being provided at their inner ends with heads 28 abutting the inner ends of said eyes and being provided at their outer ends with nuts outer ends of said eyes. The inner ends of the bushing sleeves l5 are threaded upon the enlargements i2 and the outer ends of said sleeves are contracted and threaded upon a the portions Hi of the pivot arms ll.

Both of the constructions so far described are designed principally for heavy duty work and they resist side thrusts to the maximum due to threading of the bushing sleeves upon the pivot arms 46 at both their inner and outer ends. These threaded connections also exclude foreign matter and retain grease better than a packed joint, in which the packing is subjected to constant wear.

In Fig. 5, the O-shaped shackle Ill is provided with parallel pivot arms li whose terminals 30 are within the bushing sleeves l5. Threaded enlargements 12 are provided at the inner ends of the pivot arms ii, and the inner ends of the bushings enlargements. The

bushing sleeves J and the bearing arms are in spaced concentric relation and the space receives the needle bearings i8. Coarse screw threads l9 are provided on the bushing sleeves l5 to engage the eyes 20, and 6 [5 are threaded upon these the outer ends of said sleeves are provided with cylindrical pivot 'arms and cylindrical enlargewrench-engaging .heads 2|". These outer ends ments at the inner ends of and concentric with oi the bushings may either be closed by integral said pivot arms, said enlargements being end walls 3| in opposed relation with the termithreaded, two eye-engaging bushing sleeves sur- 5 nals 30 01' the arms H" or the disk 32 shown in rounding said pivot arms and having their inner 5 Fig. 6 may be employed as an end closure. The ends threaded upon said enlargements, the outer periphery of this disk is tightly seated in a groove ends of said sleeves being contracted and snugly 10 serted. After insertion, the disk is struck with concentric relation with said pivot arms, needle 10 keep its edge in the groove 33. pivot arms, and means for holding said sleeve In Fig.- 7, the construction is identical with in the eye engaged thereby. that shown in Fig. 5 except for the bushing 4. In a needle bearing spring end mounting l5 sleeves I 5. Instead of threading these bushing means, a cylindrical pivot arm having a consleeves into the eyes t y merely slip nto centric cylindrical enlargement at its inner end, said eyes, being provided at one end with beads said enlargement being threaded, an eye-engag- 34 and at their other ends with nuts 35 for seing' bushing sleeve surrounding said pivot arm c in them in place. and having its inner end threaded upon said en- 2 The outer ends of the bushings i5- may b large'ment, the outer end of said sleeve being con- 2 closed by integral end walls 3 or by disks 32 tra ted and snugly surrounding said outer end (Fig. 8 said dis s being secured in place in 01' said pivot arm, the major portion of, said the same manner as explained in connection with sl eve being spaced from said pivot arm, needle Fi 6. hearings in the space between said sleeve and It. will .be seen from he or g in that mv pivot arm, and means for holding said sleeve in 25 and advantageous provision has-been made for th eye engaged thereby. carrying out theobjects of the invention and '5, A structure as specified in claim 3; said producing a frictionless, thorough lubricated, t a t d out r ends of said sleeves being strong, eflicient. and long-lived spring end threaded upon said outer ends-oi said pivot arms.

mounting means. 6. A structure as specified in claim 4; said 30 While t ta ls dis s d are prefe r d. minor contracted outer end or said sleeve being variations may be made wi hin he s ope f the threaded upon said outer end 01' said pivot arm. invention as claimed. 7. A needle bearing spring end mounting means r I01 I comprising a C-shaped shackle having parallel A n le bearing pring end mounting mean cylindrical pivot arms and cylindrical threaded 30 mp is ng a C-shaped shackle h vin parallel enlargements at the inner ends 01' and concentric their inner ends threaded n i enlargevided with end walls in opposed relation with the merits, Said sleeves ei in spaced concentricouter end faces of said pivot arms, said sleeves relation with said pivot arms, needle bearingsin being in spaced concentric relation with said pivthe spaces between said sleeves and said pivot otarms, needle hearings in the ,siiaces between ms, closing me ns for the outer ends of said said sleeves and pivot arms, and means for hold- 45 spaces, and means for holding said sleeves in ing said sleeves in the eyes engaged thereby. the eyes engaged thereby. 1 In a needle bearing spring end mounting n a needle bearing p g nd mounting means, a pivot arm having a cylindrical conans, a cylindrical pivot arm having a concentric enlargement at its inner end, an eye-en-- ce tric cylindrical threaded enlargement at its gaging bushing sleeve surrounding said pivot arm inner end, a; eye-engaging bushing sleeve surand havingits inner endthreaded upon said enrounding sai pivot arm and having its inner end largement, the outer end of said sleeve being prothreaded upon said enlargement; said sleeve bevided with an end wall in, opposed relation with ing in spaced concentric relation with said pivot the outer end face of said pivot am, said sleeve arm, needle bearings in the space between said being inspaced-concentricrelation with said pivot sleeve and said pivot arm, closing means for the arm, needle bearings in the-space between said outer end 01' said space, and means for holding sleeve and pivot arm; and means 'i'or holding said said sleeve in the eye engaged thereby. sleeve in the eye engaged thereby.

3. A needle bearing spring end mounting means 40 Sleeves Surrounding id Divo m and avin ments, the outer ends of said sleeves being pro comprising a c-shaped shackle having parallel aowanna. TAPLIN. 

